Inauguration Day survival guide: Road closures, parking, Metro

This Jan. 20, 2009 file photo shows people with purple tickets in line in the 3rd Street tunnel in Washington, arriving for the inauguration of President Barack Obama at the Capitol. While Washington won\'t likely see the record-setting turnout from the last inauguration, officials are planning for a bigger-than-average crowd making plans for a second chance to see a president\'s swearing in. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

WASHINGTON – Whether you’re going to the swearing-in ceremony, the inaugural parade, one of the many balls or just downtown to work, there is plenty you need to know before you leave home Monday, Jan. 21.

District of Columbia officials have pieced together early data projecting 500,00 to 700,000 will crowd onto the National Mall on Inauguration Day. That’s based on past attendance and data including hotel and restaurant reservations and chartered buses.

The inauguration is the biggest event every four years in the nation’s capital, followed by July 4 celebrations. The 2009 inaugural drew 1.8 million.

The forecast for Inauguration Day calls for the day to start out sunny, and then turn cloudy. Overall, the day will be mild.

Highs Monday will be 44 to 48. It becomes breezy Monday evening with a sprinkle or flurry. An arctic cold front arrives late Monday night. Overnight, lows of 15 to 25. Tuesday will bring passing flurries and highs only of 23 to 27.

If you are going to any of the events, make sure you dress warmly and in layers. Don’t forget hats, scarves, water-resistant coats, extra scarves, gloves or mittens. Wool, silk or polypropylene inner layers will hold more heat than cotton.

Inauguration organizers are asking attendees to use public transportation and in turn, the Metro system has responded with an increase to its normal schedule.

Metrorail will operate rush-hour service for 17 consecutive hours on Jan. 21, from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will operate on a non-rush-hour schedule until 2 a.m.

Expect some rail stations near the National Mall to have access points designated exclusively as entry or exit only.

During the rush-hour service, Metro will charge peak fares.

If riders sign up to receive them, Metro will send real time text and email alerts with information about service changes and other updates including parking lots information, delays and closures. Click here to sign up.

Stations closed on Inauguration Day:

Archives

Smithsonian

Mt. Vernon Square

Hopefully, you purchased your farecards, one-day passes or SmarTrip cards in advance of Inauguration Day to avoid lines that day.

If you use paper farecard have to add an extra $1 surcharge each way when you purchase the card.

Metro’s interactive tool called “What’s My Best Route?” helps pedestrians find the best station to use near the National Mall.

On Inauguration Day, Metrobus will operate on a weekday schedule with normal rush-hour service in the morning, followed by an early rush hour in the afternoon. However, with street closures around the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue for the parade, all Metrobus routes near the National Mall will be subject to detours and delays.

MetroAccess

During inauguration weekend, MetroAccess will operate identical hours to rail and bus schedules. MetroAccess customers are encouraged to plan extra time to travel due to increased traffic throughout the service area. Street closures around the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue for the inauguration and parade on Inauguration Day will mean that MetroAccess vehicles will only be able to drop off customers several blocks from the inauguration and parade route.

MetroAccess vehicles will not be permitted access to streets that are closed. All MetroAccess users should be prepared for detours. MetroAccess customers must reserve their trips by 4:30 p.m. the day prior to travel.

The following areas may be enforced as Emergency No Parking beginning 7 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20, through 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22. From 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21, many of these areas will be posted by law enforcement personnel and vehicular traffic will be limited.

For those planning to watch the swearing-in, you’ll need a ticket for the good spots on the Capitol lawn, but no ticket is needed to watch from the National Mall. There are restrictions on what you can bring to each location as well as where you can enter those sites.

If waving to the president as he walks down Pennsylvania Avenue in the parade is your goal, you’ll have to get downtown early. The gates to the reviewing areas will open to the public at 6:30 a.m. Monday, and they will close once each location reaches capacity.

Owners will be responsible for parking and locking their own bikes and availability will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Capital Bikeshare will establish two corrals on Inauguration Day to serve members attending the inauguration and inaugural parade. The corrals – which are only for Capital Bikeshare bikes – will be located at 17th and K streets NW (Farragut Square) and 12th Street and Independence Avenue SW (U.S. Department of Agriculture.)

Air and waterway security

A key change for pilots is that unlike normal procedures, even those pilots 25 miles or more away from the Capitol need to file flight plans.

Pilots who stray could be forced down by fighter jets. The Coast Guard will be heavily armed and very active on waterways. On land, do not leave vehicles left unattended in restricted areas.